There is a general problem in motor vehicles that external excitations that occur during driving, for example, when driving over potholes or bumps, can trigger undesired vibrations and torsional flexing of the auto body. Driving safety and comfort can be compromised and the vehicle structure stressed as a result. This problem occurs to a particular degree in convertible vehicles with a self-supporting auto body, which, because of the non-rigid roof (which cannot reinforce the auto body when open), have a stability disadvantage compared to closed vehicle structures. In principle, however, this is true in all vehicles.
It is known to provide separate reinforcing struts to the auto body in the underbody area, one strut pair of which extends from external edge areas in the transverse direction of the vehicle in front of the rear wheel wells to an area lying farther inside in the vicinity of a vertical vehicle longitudinal center plane behind the rear wheel wells and can be attached there to a spare-tire well. However, spare tires are increasingly being dispensed with and only a tire sealant carried along instead. It is often desirable, especially in sports cars, to arrange essential parts of an exhaust system in the middle area, in order to be able to provide a central exhaust unit, especially a multi-flow unit. However, the previous possibility of strut attachment on the underbody is difficult or even impossible in such vehicles.